DAY 1, Thursday - Depart the USA/Quito
Depart the USA for Ecuador. Your flight includes meals, drinks, and in-flight entertainment. Arrive in Quito and transfer to your hotel. Balance of the day at leisure
Overnight: Quito |
DAY 2, Friday - Quito City Tour
This morning's tour of Quito begins with a view of the Congress Building, whose outside stone mural records Ecuador's history. Continue to Quito's colonial section to walk along the narrow cobblestone streets and feel the charm of 16th Century Quito. See the Independence Plaza, the Cathedral, Presidential Palace, and the Archbishop's Palace before visiting La Compañia Church and the Church of San Francisco. Afterward, see the Ecuadorian landscape from atop El Panecillo Hill. Balance of the day at leisure
Optional: Middle of the World (PM)
Overnight: Quito
Meals: Breakfast |
DAY 3, Saturday - Riobamba City Tour
This morning, depart for the town of Salasaca via the Pan-American Highway. Also known as the "Avenue of the Volcanoes," the highway spans the valley between the Cordillera ranges and features 11 snowy peaks. As you arrive in the colorful town of Salasaca, enjoy a panoramic tour of the town before a visit to a local handicraft workshop. After lunch in Ambato, visit La Quinta de Juan Leon Mera with its Botanical Gardens before continuing to Riobamba, capital of the Chimborazo province. Your tour of the area includes a visit to the quaint town of Guano, famous for its handmade rugs
Overnight: Riobamba
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch |
DAY 4, Sunday - Visit the Inca Ruins of Ingapirca
Today, depart for the ancient Inca ruins of Ingapirca, a northernmost fortress-temple whose massive fortifications are believed to have served as a religious and administrative complex. After lunch nearby, continue to the city of Cuenca, located in the Sierra highlands. Balance of the day at leisure
Overnight: Cuenca
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch |
DAY 5, Monday - Cuenca City Tour
Enjoy a morning tour of Cuenca. Walk along the main plaza, Calderon Park, whose pink marbled construction and colorful stained-glass windows will take your breath away. See the flower market outside the El Carmen Church. The Tomebamba River winds in and out of the city's center as old houses jut out over its banks. Visit the Ortega shop where you can see "Panama Hats" being made. Balance of the day at leisure
Optional: Half Day Gualaceo and Chordeleg (PM) (January through June only)
Overnight: Cuenca
Meals: Breakfast |
DAY 6, Tuesday - Guayaquil City Tour
This morning, drive through El Cajas National Park en route to Guayaquil. From the park highlands, enjoy spectacular views of the many lakes and rivers below, as well as a landscape dominated by paramo, a high-altitude, wet tropical grass. Upon arrival in Guayaquil, enjoy a tour of the city that includes a visit to the Centennial Park on Avenue 9 de Octubre. Continue to see the city's regeneration, and visit the Seminario Park, also known as the "Park of the Iguanas." See the brightly-colored houses in Las Penas, the oldest neighborhood in Guayaquil, before checking-in to your hotel. Evening at leisure
Overnight: Guayaquil
Meals: Breakfast |
DAY 7, Wednesday - Fly to the Galapagos Islands
This morning, transfer to the airport for your flight to the Galapagos Islands. Arrive at Baltra Island, and then cross the Itabaca Channel to the island of Santa Cruz. Via coach, travel to the Santa Cruz highlands to visit the Rancho Primicias reserve, where you will see the Giant Tortoises in their natural habitat. A stop will be made to view Los Gemelos (Spanish for "The Twins"), great depressions of sunken lava formed thousands of year ago. Afterward, enjoy a box lunch en route to the Finch Bay Eco Hotel, where you will spend your next four nights. Balance of the day at leisure
Overnight: Galapagos Islands
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
DAY 8, Thursday - Sail to Santa Fe Island
Visit Santa Fe Island (Barrington), one of the oldest islands in the Galapagos archipelago. Enjoy a short trek through the island's shrubby terrain where it is possible to sight land iguanas (endemic to Santa Fe), lava lizards, and other land-dwellers native to the island. Enjoy time to swim or snorkel from the beach
Overnight: Galapagos Islands
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
DAY 9, Friday - Sail to Plaza Island
After breakfast, travel by yacht to Plaza Island. Full of fascinating wildlife along the shores and rocky cliffs, this small island is home to Opuntia cacti and other types of vegetation that change colors with the seasons. Enjoy time at leisure to explore the island on your own
Overnight: Galapagos Islands
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
DAY 10, Saturday - Sail to Bartolome Island
Today, visit Bartolome Island, whose 350-foot peak offers 360º views of five other islands in clear weather. A steep climb up wooden steps leads to the summit, where you can observe the island's unique lava formations and tuff cones. Afterward, continue to the beach to see the Galapagos Penguins, the only penguins north of the Equator, fishing near Pinnacle Rock. Here you will have free time to swim or snorkel from the beach
Overnight: Galapagos Islands
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
DAY 11, Sunday - Charles Darwin Research Station
Early morning departure to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, a specialized breeding and rearing center for the endangered Galapagos Giant Tortoise. The Darwin Station is a working branch of the international, non-profit Charles Darwin Foundation which works to protect and maintain the Galapagos' precious ecosystems. Following your visit, transfer to the airport in Baltra for return flight to Quito. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and enjoy the balance of the day at leisure
Overnight: Quito
Meals: Breakfast |
DAY 12, Monday - Depart for the USA
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight
Meals: Breakfast |
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